THE COMMONWEALTH REFERENDA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 26 January 1911, Page 5

THE COMMONWEALTH REFERENDA.

A LABOUR GOVERNMENT AND ITS MASTERS. MR HuIMAN IN EXPLANATION. ATTITUDE OF THE SOUTH AUS- ; TRALIAN/GOVERNMENT/ i'axas AssociAircx.—Copyright. (Received 9.25 a.m.) SYDNEY, Thursday. With reference to labour union leaders resenting his attitude against the Commonwealth referenda, Mr Hplman, At-torney-General, states th.-jt ai.-wrong construction has been placed on his Melbourne statement. He says that he is quite in accord with the Federal Government as far as the referendum related tc effective industrial arbitration, the new protection, and nationalisation of monopolies. These were planks in the Labour platform so' far as the proposals went; but beyond the&e planks he opposed, and would advocate their rejection. Mr Verran, Premier of South Australia, who is visiting Sydney, states that he and his colleagues are entirely in favour of the referenda proposals, as they will enable Labour Governments to evade obstructive tactics of nominee Legislative Councils. (Mr Holman, New South Wales At-torney-General, ' was reported to liavcdeclared himself regarding the referenda as; in favour' of constitutional amendment empowering the Commonwealth <o acquire monopolies, but, in common with some of his colleagues, he would urge the people of New South Wales not to accept an amendment enabling the Commonwealth to absorb most of the- -important State legislative function.-:.j